HOW TO FIX ERROR 3194 FROM iTUNES DURING iPHONE, iPAD OR iPOD TOUCH RESTORE.

In this article I am going to show you how to fix Error 3194 within iTunes when you try to restore your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch back to default factory settings. Error 3194 usually pop up on your computer when unsigned firmware is used on your devices, especially during some restores or iOS software downgrade of your iPhone or iPad. To fix this error you need to temporarily block Apple's firmware signing services before you can restore your devices back to the original factory settings.
Just follow the following steps carefully to resolve this error.

FOR MAC OS X OPERATING SYSTEM:

1. First of all you need to quit and close iTunes on your Mac.

2. Find and locate your host's file on your Mac. The host file is /etc/hosts.

3. Open the hosts' file with administrator privileges and then edit the host file by typing 
   74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com to the bottom of the host file. Then close to save the file.

4. Connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to your Mac and launch iTunes.

5. Turn on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into DFU mode by holding down the sleep and power  
    button at the same time for 10 seconds. Release the power button after 10 seconds but continue to  
    hold onto the home button until iTunes notify you with a pop up window on your Mac indicating   
    that your device is in recovery mode. Now go to the restore feature provided on iTunes to restore
   your device by clicking Restore.

Once your iOS is updated and finished on your device, you can then go back to your hosts file that you have previously edited and delete the 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com line from your hosts file. Close to save the hosts file and you are done. Once you have done that iTunes can now update all software normally for you from now on.

FOR WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM:

1. Quit and close iTunes on your Computer.

2. Find and locate your host's file. In this case is c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.

3. Open the hosts' file with Windows Notepad and type 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com to the
    bottom end of the host file. Then close and save the file.

4. Connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod devices to your Computer and then launch iTunes.

5. Turn on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into DFU mode by holding down the sleep and power
    button at the same time for 10 seconds. Now release the power button but continue
    to hold down the home button until you see a pop up window appeared on iTunes notifying
    you that your device is now in recovery mode. Use the restore feature provided on iTunes to
    restore your device by selecting Restore.

Again once your iOS update is completed on your device, you can go back to your host file that you have previously edited and delete the 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com line from your hosts file. Close  and save the hosts file and you are done.

Hope you find this article useful to you.

Good luck

Joe
Sydney, Australia.